Sand catcher



o. H. CRABTREE- Jan. 1, 1952 SAND CATCHER 2 SEMS-SHEET 1 Filed April 20.1945 INVENTOR.

TTENEY V 7 I/ /l//r/ l Jan. 1, 1952 o. H. CRABTREE SAND CATCHER 2SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed April 20, 1 .945

l A 9 Z Y .www www u 3 w 9 R. y w w w W V@ r m7 B A m 7 w /J/ H 8 8 1 01 3 Z ZT 5 1 02e 27 0 7 OY m7 @M H fm 14 W 5J/5,3, .1 EN i, N M x EPatented Jan. l, 19.52

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAND CATCHER Otis H. Crabtree, Long Beach,Calif.

Application April 20, 1945, Serial No. 589,294

12 Claims. (Cl. 10S-179) Another object of the invention is to provide awell pump incorporating elongated sand trapping means wherein a largequantity of sand may be accumulated and thereby kept from clogging theoperating and connection portions of the pump mechanism for a longoperating period.

Another object of the invention is to provide a well pump of novelstructure and arrangement incorporating means for trapping a relativelylarge quantity of sand and foreign material borne in the nuid pumped bysaid pump whereby foulpose, a string of tubing is extended into the welland a reciprocating pump is mountedv within said tube, usually in itslower end portion, for the purpose of pumping out the fluid entering thewell from the earth formations. In many oil wells the uid carries a highproportion of sand and other foreign materials. For the most part, thesesands and foreign materials are pumped out with the fluid but much ofthem settle back around and within the pump to clog the pump andinterfere with its normal operation. When an unduly large amount of sandhas accumulated in and around the pump, it becomes desirable to withdrawthe pump from the well for cleaning and, iffnecessary, to replace wornparts. Frequently, however, it is found that the pump has become frozenWithin the tubing. This freezing or seizure may be caused by sandaccumulations packing around the parts of the pump and the tube by meansof which the pump and the tube are separably connected. In bottom lockpumps, the hold-down shoe on the tube and the holddown mandrel on thepump frequently clog up with sand to such a degree as to prevent desiredseparation of these parts when withdrawal of the `pump is desired. Intop lock pumps, the lock sleeve on the top lock mandrel vbecomes cloggedby said accumulations to such a degree as to prevent its being dislodgedfrom holding engagement with the top lock assembly of the casing tube.

This invention has for a primary object the provision of means in a wellpump for keeping sand and other foreign material from clogging the pumpstructure to such a degree as to make difficult or impossible theremoval of said pump structure from the well.

Another object of the invention is to provide a well pump incorporatingmeans for catching or trapping sand which may be in the fluid beingpumped and in which said sand catching or trap y ping means is of suchcapacity as to permit opfrom the well for cleaning or repair.

'the invention showing the manner in which the ing of separable anchormeans of the pump is delayed for a long period of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a Well pump structureincorporating sand catching and trapping means of simple, efllcient andVdurable design and arrangement whereby the emcient life of the pump isextended.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fullyunderstood from the following detailed description of typical preferredforms and applications of the invention, throughout which descriptionreference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a semi-diagrammatic longitudinal view of a well pump accordingto the invention as incorporated in a traveling barrel type pump showingthe manner in which the pump mounts in a well tubing.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken longitudinal sectional view more clearlyillustrating the upper portion of the pump shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the lower portion of thepump.

Fig. 4 is a semi-diagrammatic longitudinal view of a traveling plungertype of pump embodying pump mounts in a well tubing.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are each enlarged longitudinal sectional views of therespective upper, intermediate and lower portions of the pump shown inbarrel type of pump with a bottom lock and incorporating a preferredform and sand catching means. The pump may generally comprise atraveling barrel l0, a stationary plunger l I means Vsuch as a string ofsucker rods l2 for reciprocating the barrel from the surface of thewell, a housing or tubing I3 for the pump, anchor means I4 for separablyconnecting the pump and tubing, and means I5 for collecting, trapping,catching or otherwise accumulating sand and foreign material in theiiuid passing through the pump, said latter means hereinafter beingtermed a sand catcher.

The barrel Hl may be of typical construction involving a top cage I6 inwhich is arranged a ball I1 and a seat I8 to permitl passage of fluidthrough the cage only upon downward movement of the barrel l0. Said cagemay be connected to a string of sucker rods I2, for instance to thelower-most sucker rod of said string, by means of its neck i 9. The topcage I6 Imay be connected to an upper barrel bushing 2l Which carries anupper length of tubing 22 of the barrel. The barrel part 22 may beconnected by means of an adapter 23 with a lower length of tubing 24which may carry a lower tube bushing 25 which forms the lower end of thebarrel. A plurality of liners 26 may be disposed within the lower tubing24 and between the adapter 23 and the lower tube bushing 25.

The above-described barrel structure is a1'- ranged forreciprocatorymovement from the surface of the well by means connectedwith the string of sucker rods I2 and is arranged to tele scope over thepump plunger `II which, in this instance, is xed. Said plunger mayinclude-a standing cage 21 in which is arranged a ball 28 and a seat 28which cooperate to permit passage of fluid through the cage only uponupward movement of the barrel I0. Said cage 21 may be connected, as bymeans of a top plunger bushing 30, to a plunger 3| which carries aplunger adapter 32 at its bottom end.

The barrel I0 and the plunger II are 'so arranged and constructed asto'provide an elongated chamber 33 within the upper tubing 22 andbetween the upper barrel bushing 2| and the adapter 23. Thereciprocatory movement of the barrel I0 is, therefore, limited by thelength of the tubing 22, since the cage 21 is disposed in said chamber.

The above-described pump has iiuid'passages which comprise the openingor passage 35 in the tube 3|, an axial bore 36 in the bushing 30, ports31 in the standing cage 21, the chamber 33, an axial bore 38 in thebarrel bushing 2l, and the ports 39 inthe top cage I 6. It is evidentthatl an up stroke of the barrelv I0 will cause fluid to be drawn intothe chamber 33 by unseating the ball 28 to allow the iiuid to enter saidchamber through passage 35, bore 36 and ports 31. A subsequent downstroke of the barrel will cause displacement of the fluid in thechamber-'33 through bore 38 and through the ports 39 by unseating theball I1.

The pump is disposed in the casing or tubing i 3 which may comprise thelowermost section 40 of a number of such sections which are coupledtogether in a manner common in well construction. Said lowermost tubingsection 40 carries the pump or, at least, the stationary portionsthereof which, in this case. is the plunger I i.

The means I4 are provided so that removal of the pump from the casing I3 may be effected.`

Said means may comprise a lock hold-down shoe 45, a lock hold-downmandrel 46 disposed within the shoe, a lock hold-down sleeve 41, 'and anut connection at 49 with the lower end of the tubing section 40. Theshoe is provided with an axial chamber 50 and is also provided with aninreaching annular cam bead 5I near the lower end of said chamber. Theupper end of the shoe is provided with a conical seat 52 to receive theconed end 53 of the sleeve 41.

The mandrel 46 is formed as a cylindrical element and has fathroughpassage 54. The upper lend of the mandrel is 'reduced in diameterand the sleeve 41 and nut 48 are fitted on said reduced part, the nutbeing threaded on as at 55. A lock lhold-down adapter 44 is used forconnecting the mandrel assembly and the pump plunger assembly "II,l"said adapter having threaded connection at 56 with an extension ci thereduced portion o`f the mandrel 46 and with the plunger adapter' 32. Thelock hold-down adapter 44 has a passage bore 43.

The .portion Vofthe mandrel 46 'disposed within the shoe 45ii'slongitudinally slotted at 51 `to provide resilient ngers l58 which, attheir lower ends. are provided with cam-.portions V59 normally 'posiotioned'below the-cam head 5I of the shoe. The portions59 comprise 'aconical enlargement 'of the ngers 58|havin'g a'n'ominal diameter greaterthan that of the internal diameter of the cam head 5I.

From 'the -foregoing Iit may be seen that when the pump is beingAassembled into the tubing 'I3 anchas' the 'lower-ends' ofthe mandrelfingers 53 approach 4the "shoe, 'thefconic'al portions of the cam'si"willengage first, the conical seat 52 and then the f' cam head 5I. Thiscauses inward springingor -iiex'ing of the nge'rs upon eachsuchengagement, Vuntil the mandrel resides in the chamber 50' withthe'sle'eve 41 engaged with the se'at'52 and th'e' finger cms59 vbelowthe cam head 5I. During anormal operation of the pump, the separableanchor for the pump, thus provided, will maintain'the plunger in thevdesired'xed position, However, an increased pull upon the 'pump for thepurpose of di'slodgingfand removing it'will cause the fingers 58 tovflex inwardly past the cam head 5I andthe Walls 'of the seat 52. Such apull may become effective when the pump barrel is raised to cause theadapter 23 to abutcagainst the bushing'. It is vfurther 'evident thatthe aforementioned removal 'of the pump can beaccom'- I plished only ifthe 'fingers 58 are free to flex in wardly. Should sand accumulationskclog the chamber 50 to such 'a degree -as to fill up the slots 51 of'the' mandrel, fsaid'fingers will be unable to nex and the pump 'cannotberemoved. In'pracw tice 'there .is enough 'action or flow through thechamber'SIl fao-thatit 'does'not become clogged.

The .sandfcatching vmeans I 5 iis provided 'to 'prevent sandaccumulation above the separable connecti-ng' means I4 and. around thepump to 'a de' gree that would interfere with the vpumpingfaction orfreeze lthe barrel 'so it'could not be removed. Said means may comprisea tube 6B of substantial leng'th Iand arranged within a tubing 'section4U. The' tube 60 is preferably of ysuch a diameter as to provide-anannular r`space 6I between it and the tubing section 40's'o that easy.insertion into and removal from 'the casing 'may be effected. Apreferred manner of supporting the tube 60 is to mount the same, as bymeans of an end plate 62 on the lower 'end thereof, lbetween'the adapter44 and the rnui; 48. In this manner the tube 6U is xedly held and can beremoved with the pump evident that said chamber 68 receives the duiddischarge from the top cage I6. It will be further seen that any sandwhich may settle out of the fluid thus pumped, will be caught andcollected by or within the tube 60 and will accumulate in the lowerportion 63a of the chamber 63, the bottom ofwhich is closed by the wall62.

In order to prevent sand that settles out of the fluid from entering theannular space 6| and thus reaching the separable anchor means |4, theupper end of the tube 40 may be provided with sealing means 64 to closethe upper end of said space 6|. The sealing means 64 may comprise anupperextension tube 65 for the tube 60, a plurality of reverse bevelsealing cups 66 carried by the extension tube, and cup hold-down rings61 alternately e, spaced with the cups 66. The cups 66 are designed tobear against the inner wall of the tubing section 40 and thus to sealoff the space 6| from the discharge of the pump.

The tubing section 40 will ordinarily' have an unfinished inner surfaceand is of considerable length from the top of the well to the sealingpoint above-described and said surface will sometimes cause the sealingsurfaces of the cups 66 to become unduly worn or possibly injured a5 thepump is being inserted into the casing. To insure a good seal and tocompensate for wear of the cups 66, a casing or sealing nipple 40a isinserted into the tubing string and is connected, as by couplings 40h,between adjacent tubing sections to occur at the point where the sealingmeans occur. Said nipple 40a is provided with a smooth inner surface ofsomewhat smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the tubing string,generally. By this structure, the cups 66 can be somewhat smallerinitially to have minimum frictional contact with the tubing as the pumpis being inserted. When said cups encounter the nipple 40e, they will berelatively smooth and engage the smaller smooth inner surface of saidnipple lilla with suitable sealing contact.

According to this structure the sand settling out of the fluid beingpumped may flow into but cannot lodge around the catcher I5. As the sandaccumulates in the sand catcher, the stroke of the barrel l0 may beshortened according to the degree of interference the sand oiersv tomovement of the barrel. When the stroke becomes too short for practicalpumping, the entire pump assembly may be withdrawn from the well ashereinbefore described. Since sand has been kept from fouling orclogging the separable anchor means I4, such withdrawal of the pump isrendered easy. After removal of the sand,v the pump assembly may againbe inserted into `the well casing and the pumping operation continued.

`Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 illustrate a travelingplunger type of pump with atop lock and incorporating another form of sand catching means. The pumpmay generally comprise a traveling plunger 10, a string of sucker rods1| operable from the top of the well for reciprocating the plunger, astationary barrel 12 associated with the plunger, a housing or casing 13for the pump, atop lock assembly 14 for supporting the pump from saidcasing 13, and elongated means 15 which includes a sand catcher 16,aording means for connecting the lower portion of the pump to the toplock assembly, the structure being such as to provide for an abnormallylong pump stroke.

The plunger 10 may comprise a top cage 80, carrying at its lower end aplunger vtube 0| through thernedium of a top plunger bushing 82. Thelower end of the plunger tube carries a plunger valve cage 83 haying aball 84 and a seat 05. The plunger assembly is completed by a bottomplunger nut 86.

The barrel 12 may comprise an inserted type top collar 81, a jacket 88connected to the collar 81, and a double valve cage 89 carried on thelower end of the jacket. Balls 90 and 9| may be carried by said cage. Abottom collar 92 may comprise the lower end of the barrel assembly. Aplurality of liners 93 are placed within the jacket 88 and between thetop collar 81 and the cage- 89. In the present instance it is preferredto provide a barrel that is unusually long. For this purpose the jacket88 is made sufciently long so that it may house a number of liners as,for instance, seven liners.

From the above 4described plunger and barrel structure it may be seenthat the plunger 1| may have a relatively long stroke in the barrel 12and that upon an upstroke of ,said plunger, iiuid will be drawn into thechamber 94 of the cage 89 and, consequently, into the lower end of thechamber 95 formed by the liners 93. Upon a down stroke of the plunger,said fluid will pass through the cage 83, into the hollow 96 of theplunger tube 8|, out through ports 91 in the cage 80, and into thechamber 05 above the plunger 10.

The pump is disposed within the casing or string of tubing 13 which maycomprise an upper tube |00, a lower tube |0| connected by the top lockassembly 14, saidv assembly including an upper shoe |02 connected withthe upper tube |00 and a lower shoe |03 on the lower tube |0|v andconnected with the upper tube. The shoes |02 and ID3-clamp a lock seatring |04 between them, said ring serving to support a top lock mandrel|05 which maybe inserted downwardly to seat on the ring |04. Saidmandrel is held from normal upwardmovement by a spring lock sleeve |06mounted on the mandrel below the lock seat ring |04. The mandrel |05carries a rod guide |01 having ports |08 and the mandrel has a centralaxial opening |09 for the free passage of fluid from the chamber 95 intothe casing tube |00 above the top lock assembly 14.

Inasmuch as it is desired to provide a large sand catcher 16, theplunger and barrel struc.

tures are spaced from the top lock assembly to a degree desired forobtaining a sand catcher of large size. For this purpose, the means 15for connecting the barrel structure to the top lock assembly maycomprise a plurality of elongated tubes 0 connected by couplings toprovide thel desired length of sand catcher', the sand catching chamber2 being established within the tubes |I0. The lowermost of the tubes H0connects with the top collar 81 and the uppermost one connects through asleeve bushing adapter ||3 and a sleeve bushing 4, with the vmandrel|05. In vkeeping with the above structure, the string of suckerrods 1|includes one or more sucker rods l I5, and a sucker rod ||6 in additionto other upper sucker rods ||1 extending upwardly in the well casing.Sucker rod couplings H8 and ||9 may connect the sucker rods H5, ||6 and||1 to form the string 1|.

The sucker rod I5 may be of conventional design except that its couplingportions |20 are machinedoi to permit passing the rod through the guide|01. The lower coupling portion of the rod ||6 and the couplings ||8 are:machined smaller for the samerpurp'ose. The upper coupling' portion |2|`of the sucker rod H0 is also machined vclown to the fred 'guide I urtoIbe passed ove'rs'aid upper end when the pump isbeing assembled at thewell surface. VIn addition,- the lower coupling portion of the rod |6maybe machined to provide opposed flats |22 forming abutment flanges |23adapted to engage 'a seat |24 in the rod guide when the pump is desiredto be withdrawn from the well.

Since the pump is carried at a 'remote point from the top look assembly14, said 'assembly can be positioned at a point above where u'id bornesand can reach it to clog the same. The remote arrangement of the pumpand said top lock assembly further provides for an elongated'sandcatcher 15 which comprises the upper portion of the chamber 95, theinterior of the 'tubes I0 andl couplings and the axial passage |09 ofthe rod 'guide |01. As sand accumulatesin the sand: catcher, the pumpstroke may be accordingly shortened as in the earlier form of theinvention. However, since the' sand catcher is of extra large capacity'because of the additional length provided by the structure, Athe pumpmay function for a relatively long time period before its strokebecomestoo short for practical. pumping.- By. lifting on the sucker rod string'1| until the flanges |23 engage the seat Y|24 and by exerting a suf'-cient upward pullv on said string, the spring ngers of the lo'ck-'sleeve' |05 may be forced inwardly so vthat Ythe entire pump. structurecan be vpulled through the r-in'g |04 and then out of the well.

Idavingdescribedl only typical preferred forms and applications of myinvention, 'I do not Wish to be limited or restricted to-"the specificdetails herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variationsor modic'a'tio'ns that may appear to 'those skilled 1in the art and fallwithin' the scope of the followingclaims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. Well pumping apparatus including, a casf ing,v a plunger, meansseparably anchoring the plunger in the casing, 'a movable pump barreloperatively associated with the plunger, said plunger and barrel beingldisposed within the casing to leave an annular space therebetween, anda sand catcher carried by the plunger and arranged in said annular spacewhereby sand settling out of pumped fluid above thecatcher isvaccumulated by the catcher and kept. from the anchoring means, saidcatcher including a tubular member extending above the top of the pumpplunger. 2. Well pumping apparatus including, a cas' ing, aplunger,-means -separably 4vancl'loring -the plunger in the casing, a movablepump 'barrel operatively associated with the plunger, said' plunger andbarrel being -d'sposed'within thev casing to leave an annular spacetherebetween; and a sand catcher carried by the plunger and arranged insaid annular space whereby sand' settling out of pumped fluid above thecatcher is caught by the sand catcher and kept from the anchoring means,said sand catcher including a tubular member extending above the top ofthe pump plunger, and Isealing means carried by the upper outer portionof said tubular member and having sealing engagement with the innersurface of the casing.

3. Well pumping apparatus including, 'a cas-L ing, a plunger, meansseparably 'anchoring the plunger in the casing, a movable "pump barreloperatively associated with 'the plunger, said plunger and barrel beingdisposedwithin the cas-y ing to leave anl annular space'th'eiebetween.'anda -Sand catcher Icarried by 'the'plung'e'r and 'are' ranged in saidannular space to catch sand settl'iiigo'ut of fluid in the casing abovethe catcher and to keep Asuch sand from the anchoring means, said sandcatcher including a tubular member extending above the top of the pumpplunger. and sealing means carried `by the upper outer portion of saidtubular member and having 'sealing engagement with the inner surface ofthe casing, the'sealing means including a plurality of sealingl cups andalternately arranged hold-'down rings.

4. A well pumping apparatus including a xed casing, a stationary pumpplunger, a reciprocating barrel cooperating with the plunger, a bottomlock separably connecting the casing and the plunger, a sand catchersupported from the bottom lock and extending upwardly to a point abovesaid plunger, and means for sealing between the top of the sand catcherand said casing the upper end of the sand catcher being open to receive-sand settling from fluid above the catcher.

5. A well pump operable in a well casing and including, two cooperatingelements, one a plunger the other a barrel, one element having its lowerend releasably nxed in the casing, and a' sand 'catcher carried by thereleasably fixed element and extending upwardly in the casing from thelower end portion of the fixed element to a point above both of saidelements, the upper end of the catcher beingsealed with the casing andbeing open to receive sand settling out o'f`- ing the plunger in thecasing, a pump barrel engaged to reciprocate over the plunger, anda sandcatcher supported at the lower end portion ofthe plunger and extendingupwardly in the casing to a point above the plunger and barrel,v

the upper end portion of the catcher engaging the casing checking flowof sand from fluid above the catcher down around the catcher to theanchor, the upper end of the catcher being open to receive such sand.

7. A well pump operable in a well casing and including, a plunger, areleasable anchor mounting the plunger in the casing, a pump barrelengaged to reciprocate over the plunger, a sand catcher including atubular part having its lower end coupled to the plunger and extendingupwardly to a-point above the plunger and barrel, andv means sealingbetween the upper end portion of said part vand the casing excludingfluid' from 'between the said tubular part and the casing, the upper endof the catcher being open to receive sand settling out of fluid in thecasing above the catcher.

8. A well pump operable in a well casing and including, a plunger, areleasable anchor mounting the plunger in the casing, a pump barrelengaged to reciprocate over the plunger, a sand catcher including atubular part having its lower end coupled to the plunger at the lowerend thereof and extending upwardly to a point above the plunger andbarrel, and a fluid seal betweenI the upper end portion of said part andthe casing, the upper end of the catcher being open to receive sandsettling out of fluid in the ,casingl above the catcher.

9. A vwell pump operable in a well casing and including, two cooperatingelements, one a plunger the other a barrel having sliding engagementover the plunger. one element being re'- leasably xed in the casing, anda sand catcher carried by the releasably xed element and extendingupwardly in the casing around both of said elements to a point aboveboth of said ele.- ments, the upper end of the catcher being sealed withthe casing and being open to receive sand settling out of fluid in thecasing above the7 catcher.

10. A well pump operable in a well casing andincluding, a plunger, areleasable anchor mount-Q l assenso 11g-EA well pump operable in a wellcasing and including, a plunger, a releasable anchor mounting theplunger in the casing, a pump barrel engageld to reciprocate over theplunger, a sand catcher including a tubular part having its lower 1 endcoupled to the plunger and extending upwardly to a point above theplunger and barrel; and in'ieans sealing between the upper end portionofsaid part and the casing excluding uid if;

.from between the said tubular part and the casing including a pluralityof alternately ar ,Y ranged sealing cups and hold-down rings, the Yupper end of the catcher being open to receive.

5 Number l0 sand settling out of fluid in the casing above the catcher.

12. A well pump operable in a well casing and including, a plunger, ananchor at the lower end end of the plunger releasably mounting theplunger in the casing, a pump barrel engaged to reciprocate over theplunger from the upper end of the plunger, a tube having its lower endsecured at the point of connection between the plunger and anchor andextending upwardly around the plunger with clearance and extending to apoint above both the plunger and barrel, and sealing means carried bythe upper end portion of the tube sealing with the interior of thecasing, the upper end of the tube being open to receive sand settlingout of fluid in the casing above the tube.

OTIS H. CRABTREE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Laing Sept. 4, 1883 Wade Apr. 28, 1925Herrin Feb. 21, 1928 Gall Dec. 31, 1935 Lloyd July 28, 1936 Cox Mar. 15,1938 Munk Oct. 9, 1945 Mackin Dec. 2, 1947 Anderson et al Feb. 20, 1934

